


The Tower

by Fable



Series: Merlin [8]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: A tower and a grappling hook, Desire, First Time, Humour, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-05
Updated: 2013-06-11
Packaged: 2017-12-14 01:43:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/831268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fable/pseuds/Fable
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based very loosely on Rapunzel and we all know the Prince gets what he wants in the end!</p><p>The chamber at the very top of the East tower was a miserable place to be, round in shape with stone walls the colour of arsenic and as cold as the King himself.</p><p>The room flickered with a burnt orange light as Arthur stood in his personal space again. Little butterflies tiptoed low down in Merlin and he swallowed, hard.</p><p>Then Arthur did something unexpected and it was the most sensual thing Merlin had ever seen.</p><p>It's in-between M and E</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter is T but last chapter will be M - I've made it E (just in case!)

   The chamber at the very top of the East tower was a miserable place to be, round in shape with stone walls the colour of arsenic and as cold as the King himself. The furniture was meagre, an old creaky cot sat to one side of the room and a small round table languished alone in the middle. At the back of the room was a huge oak door with great iron hinges and a keyhole that was big enough to poke a finger through. Outside of the door two guards were posted, they chattered, without end, about who was the fairest maiden in the court.

   But by far the best feature of the tower room was the arched shaped window; it was as tall as a man and the width of an outstretched arm. In its frame stained glass depicted a knight on horseback in luminous crimson and grey, Merlin suspected this chamber wasn’t always in the condition he’d found it in. The window let in the connection to the outside world as it looked down into the courtyard of the citadel, where everyday life carried on as normal.

   Life wasn’t normal though, it was far from normal for Merlin.

   Dusk arrived as it had done for the two days that Merlin had been incarcerated in the tower, he lay with his hands behind his head on his uneven cot and as the shadows lengthened in the room he, with a lazy flash of his eyes, lit the only candle.

   ‘MERR-LINN.’

   Merlin propped his upper body on one elbow and stared at the open window.

   ‘Merlin, for all that is holy, get your lazy arse to the window.’ The irritated voice found its way up through the window and hung in the room.

   Arthur. Merlin swung out of bed, which was easier said than done as Uther had had his wrists shackled by a broad metal torus linked chain, his movements were severely restricted; he clanked his way over to the window and peered down into the diming courtyard. The Tower was high, not the highest in the castle, but even so the Prince looked rather small below. Merlin knew him well and could see by his body language that he wasn’t happy; he was stood craning his neck to look up to the window, hands on hips and feet planted apart with his thin white shirt billowing in the breeze.

   ‘Hi.’ Merlin quipped and grinned at him.

   ‘Hi, is that all you can say?’ Arthur was peeved.

   ‘Erm… it’s a lovely evening.’

   ‘MER-LIN.’

   Merlin gulped and threw Arthur his best grin in the hope that it would help matters.

   ‘Throw something down that I can climb up.’

   ‘I have nothing…’

   ‘Knot some sheets.’

   ‘I only have one.’

   Arthur flung his hands in the air in despair. ‘Wait there.’

   ‘Erm… yes.’

   Time passed and outside his window the sky changed from dusky grey, to a deep purple with pinpricks of brilliant white.

   ‘Merlin...’

   Merlin went to the window and looked down.

   ‘…move.’ Arthur hissed.

   ‘What?’

   ‘If you value your head, MOVE.’

   Merlin moved as a three pronged grappling iron made a rude entrance into the chamber, the metal screeched on the slab floor as the hook searched for purchase. It found the stone window ledge and dug in scattering little dust clouds. Merlin risked a glance down to see the Prince climbing the rope attached to the hook.

   Arthur’s athletic form dropped into the shadowy chamber. The two men faced each other for a moment, no words spoken. The solitary candle made the room flicker with eerie orange light; one side of Arthur’s face was a soft bronze colour while the other was nearly black, even so Merlin still saw anger as he broke the silence.

   ‘What _on earth_ Merlin… you do realise the only reason you still have your head is because of my intervention.’

   ‘I know Arthur, I am grateful to you.’ Merlin dropped his head and his puppy dog eyes scanned Arthur from under his raven fringe.

   ‘Drunk and disorderly, disturbing the peace, general unruly conduct and to top it all you called the King of Camelot a _big fat meanie_ – to his face.’ Arthur growled.

   ‘Sorry.’

   ‘I’ll give you _sorry_ … what the _hell_ happened?’

   ‘Gwaine.’

   ‘I should have known, Merlin you know better than to drink with him.’

   ‘Sorry.’ Merlin attempted again.

   For the second time that evening Arthur flung his hands in the air ‘I despair Merlin. It could take me a while to get you released’, then for the first time since he entered the room Arthur noticed Merlin’s shackles, they were too tight and nipped into his flesh causing long welts.

   ‘Painful?’ There was genuine concern in Arthur’s low voice as he tipped his head towards the irons.

   ‘Yes.’ Merlin’s simple word was equally low, barely a whisper.

    Arthur stretched his fingers towards the shackles, hesitated then pulled back, a blue look flicked across his face.

   ‘You’re filthy; your eyes are basically two black smudges’ Arthur tried to inject a little humour into an uneasy situation. A beat passed. ‘What were you thinking Merlin?’

   ‘I wasn’t thinking - too much ale, we bumped into the King in the courtyard while we were barrel racing, you know the rest…’

   ‘Barrel racing?’

   ‘It doesn’t matter now; I’m sorry Arthur, to have put you in this position.’

   Arthur hesitated before saying ‘I have to go… I’ll come back tomorrow with supplies.’

   ‘Arthur, do not do that for me, you’ll get into trouble.’ Merlin studied the man stood in the shadowy half-light, a right royal prat with enough arrogance in him for all his Knights put together, but fiercely loyal and believed in doing the right thing for his people – and Camelot.

   ‘I’m the Prince Merlin, I don’t get into trouble.’

   Merlin coughed and suppressed a giggle

   ‘Alright, alright, I’ll be careful, you need lotion for your wrists and I will find the key to those damn shackles.’ And with that Arthur turned and was gone. Merlin threw the rope and iron down after him.

   Merlin could of course use magic to release himself from the shackles, use magic to break out of the tower but he had decided that that would be his last resort and in a way he was punishing himself for been so easily led and stupid.

***

   In the late evening on the third night of Merlin’s imprisonment, he was sat on the window ledge staring into the dimming horizon, the sky was orange and the pale chateau was turning amber with the setting sun. The whole of Camelot was laid out to view; the kingdom was beautiful beyond doubt.

   ‘Merlin’ Arthur’s voice floated up and broke his reverie ‘move…’ Once again a hook flew into the room and adhered itself to the ledge. Merlin leaned out to watch the Prince, it was a warm evening so Arthur’s arms were bare and Merlin couldn’t help but notice how the taught muscles flexed as he climbed. He briefly pondered why the strong arms had caught his interest as Arthur jumped into the room and dumped a leather bag onto the table; he immediately began to route through it.

   ‘Da Da’ he was clearly pleased with himself as he thrust the shackles key into Merlin’s face.

   ‘Arthur… How?’

   ‘I’m the Prince… you seem to keep forgetting that information’ Arthur mocked him as he proceeded to unload the rest of the bag – clothes, food, candles, a blanket and lotion.

   ‘Here…’ he grasped the irons and pulled Merlin closer, he was in his space, Merlin could feel the heat radiating off him and hear the heavier breath from the exertion of the climb. Arthur was in his personal space, warm, kind and gentle. Merlin’s stomach flipped just a little and a small involuntary noise escaped his lips.

   Arthur unlocked the shackles and let them drop, they made a _thrung thrung_ sound on the stone floor and both men froze instantly, listening for the guards. A moment passed and Merlin realised his body was coiled like a spring, he released and a puff of air expelled from his lungs. He also realised that Arthur still had hold of his hands; Arthur must have noted this at the same time because he suddenly dropped them whilst muttering something under his breath.

   ‘Sit down Merlin, those wounds need tending’ Arthur held up a glass jar of yellowy green lotion that looked vile.

   ‘Where did you find that?’

   ‘Gaius’ chambers - obviously.’

   ‘Is it the right stuff?’

   ‘Dunno, we’ll soon see’ Arthur grinned at him and sat down on the cot, the old wood creaked alarmingly with the weight of two men on it.

   The chamber was dark with just a little of the remains of the day coming through the arch as Arthur took Merlin’s wrists and with a gentle caress began to rub the lotion in small circles into his broken skin. Merlin twitched as his heart made an unannounced leap in his chest. Arthur’s slicked hands worked their way down from his wrists and into the palms then along his bony fingers, working all the time, pressing down and pushing back, exploring the valleys between his fingers and bumps of his knuckles. Merlin’s mind was racing, thoughts collided into other thoughts and nothing made sense as his skin tingled to the touch and his whole body broke into goose-bumps. He glanced at Arthur and caught half-lidded blue eyes gazing back.

   ‘Sire…?’ Merlin did not want to break the moment; though he was sure as hell he didn’t know what the moment was.

   Arthur coughed ‘Erm, yes, I think that will do it’ his voice was harsh and cracked like his throat was parched as he stood up from the cot.

   The air fizzed and popped with unspoken words.

   Arthur bristled as he caught himself and cleared his throat ‘I… um… spoke to the King, I may be able to pull him round, I’ll let you know tomorrow.’

   ‘Thank you, I am grateful for all your help.’

   ‘Well… good, yes’ Arthur stumbled ‘good servants are hard to come by’ and with that he swung out of the window and was gone.

   Merlin smiled to himself, they both knew he was a terrible servant. His heart hadn’t slowed as he considered his hands; they still tickled from Arthur’s touch.

   Merlin changed, ate a little then lay out to sleep, but he didn’t drift easily, the evening replayed over and over in his head.

***

   Merlin had a visit from Gaius the next day; the old physician was the only visitor Uther would allow. The first thing he noticed was the wounds on Merlin’s wrists and the still opened pot of lotion, his eyes still didn’t miss a trick.

   He raised an eyebrow at his apprentice ‘How did you come by the lotion?’

   Merlin hesitated and a look etched on his face that the old man could read instantly.

   ‘Arthur?’

   ‘Um… yes.’ There’s was a trace of apology in Merlin’s voice.

   ‘Through the window I presume?’

   Merlin didn’t answer, he didn’t need to.

   ‘Is he coming back tonight?’

   ‘Yes.’

   ‘Why?’

   ‘Um…’ Merlin didn’t rightly know why.

   ‘So…’ Gaius changed the subject ‘decided to call the King _a big meanie_ then?’

   Merlin dropped his head.

   ‘You are an idiot Merlin.’

   That was how their conversation progressed, Gaius firing questions at Merlin and Merlin shrugging his answers until the Guards rapped on the door to say Gauis’ time was up.

   That night Merlin heard his name called again, he peered down into the gloom to see - Gwaine.

   ‘Merlin, watch out…’

   A different grappling hook fired into the room and gained purchase. Gwaine was not far behind the iron; he swung into the chamber and grinned at Merlin.

   ‘How did you know to do that?’ Merlin goggled at him.

   ‘I’ve watched Arthur for the past two nights…’

   Merlin shuffled his feet and a faint pink stained his cheeks. This did not go unnoticed with Gwaine.

   ‘Hey, Merlin… I’m sorry I got you into all this trouble.’

    ‘You didn’t force the ale down my neck and you didn’t speak those words to the King.’

   ‘I know but I still feel responsible.’

   ‘Don’t I…’ Their conversation was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Arthur on the window ledge.

   ‘Whoa… for a locked guarded chamber at the top of a tall tower - it’s certainly busy’ Gwaine quipped.

   ‘Gwaine’ Arthur gave a courtesy nod in the Knight’s direction.

    An awkward silence descended as Merlin inspected his feet.

   Gwaine may be a clown but he wasn’t stupid, the tension in the room was palpable to all, he glanced at first Merlin and then Arthur before saying ‘So… it seems three’s a crowd and I know when I’m not wanted.’ He slapped Merlin on the shoulder, nodded to his Prince and headed for the window.

   Neither Arthur nor Merlin made noises to correct him, looking back on it later they both found that to be curious.

   Arthur pulled up the rope behind him then turned to Merlin ‘Um… how are your wrists?’ Merlin knew this was something to say more than anything else, there was no real reason for the Prince to be in the chamber.

   ‘Why are you here Arthur?’

   ‘Um.’

   Merlin took a step forward and let his eyes search out Arthur’s ‘My Lord?’

   Arthur sighed as he took his own step towards his servant.

   The chamber flickered with a burnt orange light as Arthur stood in his personal space again. Little butterflies tiptoed low down in Merlin and he swallowed, hard.

   Arthur’s body heat glowed and he smelt musky and aromatic, it made Merlin’s head spin just a little and he could _feel_ the tension bristling.

   ‘I wanted to see you.’ Arthur breathed the words and they hung in the space between them.

_Oh God_ Merlin knees suddenly felt weak, a powerful urge to grab Arthur and kiss him swept up from his toes like getting into a hot bath. His mouth dropped open and he realised he was blinking - a lot.

   He coughed ‘Did you speak to your Father?’ his voice was coarse and lower than he’d intended.

   ‘You are in trouble…’

   Arthur reached out and brushed his fingers along Merlin’s sharp jawline, slow and gentle movements before cupping his chin. He drew him in. With eyes locked onto Merlin’s he tipped his head slightly and pressed his lips against his servants.

   ‘…you insolent boy’ Arthur murmured into his mouth.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin’s lips tingled and a shock ran through his body as his fuddled mind tried to make sense of what was happening.

   ‘My… Lord?…’ he breathed back.

   Arthur pushed further into him and with a strong grip took Merlin’s hip bones in his hands and pulled him closer.

   ‘You are _so_ disobedient…’ Arthur purred as he forced his tongue into Merlin’s mouth.

   Without thought, Merlin let Arthur in, his heart was beating in his ears and the dreary room around him vanished as he felt Arthur exploring him.

   ‘Maybe you need to _punish_ me… Sire…’ Merlin mumbled as Arthur took his bottom lip between his teeth and sucked.

   ‘Oh my God… _yes_ ’ Arthur’s voice was strained like he was using everything in his power not to strip Merlin naked right there and then and take him.

   Merlin’s whole body quivered at the words and a whimper escaped his lips, Arthur responded by pushing him back into the wall, using his weight to press him into the cold stone surface. Merlin could _feel_ how much Arthur wanted him as he ran his hands up under the Prince’s tunic.

   ‘NO, hands above your head… _boy_ ’ Arthur’s command was thick with lust as he roughly grabbed Merlin’s hands and pushed them above his head, one strong hand holding them in place while the other searched out the laces on Merlin’s trousers.

   Merlin groaned loudly and sunk down the wall as his legs refused to hold his body up anymore, Arthur pulled him up and feverishly placed little nips on Merlin’s exposed collarbone.

   Merlin’s colliding thoughts tried to make sense of what was going on:  
 _Pushed against a wall with hands pinned above head by the Prince of Camelot – yes._  
 _Said Prince’s fingers undoing breeches while mouth devours me – yes._  
 _Nerves on fire, heart exploding and jelly legs – yes._  
 _Lost all rational thought – yes._

   Arthur’s fingers achieved their goal and Merlin’s breeches dropped.

_Whoa… half naked – yes._   
_Turned on – yes._   
_Oh my god… what is he doing with his thumb?_   
_Want the world to stop turning and for this to never end – yes._

   ‘Art-hur…’ Merlin whispered.

   ‘Shush, don’t talk’ Arthur murmured into Merlin’s soft pale neck…

   A loud heart stopping grating noise broke both men out of the world they’d created. The guard was trying to get the huge key in its lock. Arthur reacted instantly and dove under the bed, gathering the rope with him. Merlin pulled his breeches up and scrambled under the blanket.

   The room was dark as a rough looking man with his face, lit in distorted shapes by the candle he carried, barrelled in. Wordlessly his sunken eyes scanned the shadowy areas of the chamber then rested on prone form on the bed. A few beats passed until he grunted and Merlin heard him leave.

   Arthur rolled out from under the cot ‘I will wager that my father’s looking for me…’ he leaned in and pressed a tender kiss onto Merlin’s forehead.

   ‘I’ll be back… to finish what I started…’ there was wickedness in his voice that made Merlin tremor all over ‘…that includes your punishment’ Arthur’s blue eyes flashed before he left the way he came.

   Merlin ran the tip of his index finger across his kissed-out lips and a warm feeling formed in the pit of his stomach, _to finish what I started_ Merlin turned those five words over and over in his head until sleep took him.

***

   Merlin sat on his cot, his knees drawn up to his chest, hands clasped across them. Fear was running through him reflecting on his face, though that dread was not for himself. The room was half lit in candle light and stood at the shadowy window was a man, a tall broad figure in black leather with rage etched across his lined face; his sword was drawn from its hilt as he waited in silence unmoving.

   A grappling hook fired into the chamber as it had done for the past few nights, the figure never flinched. Merlin buried his face into his hands. Arthur appeared at the ledge and recoiled in shock, only just managing to hold on.

   ‘ _Father_ …’

   Uther man handled his son into the room, raised his sword and with one clean swipe cut the rope from the hook; it slithered out of the window and could be heard striking the ground below.

   Uther’s rage was uncontained; he spat at Arthur ‘What is the meaning of this?’

   ‘Father… I can expla…’

   Uther did not let him continue ‘you do not need to; half of Camelot has seen you climbing the Tower to your manservant.’ Uther paced the room and pointed at Merlin more than a few times.

   Arthur glanced over at Merlin and was rewarded with a thin watery smile, he sighed ‘that is an exaggeration, your treatment of Merlin is too harsh, and I have been bringing him supplies.’

   ‘Supplies? To your servant? The Prince of Camelot cannot be seen delivering supplies to his servant.’ Uther was furious and was pointing at Merlin far too much for his comfort.

   ‘Father… I…’ Arthur was grabbed around the neck and pushed towards the door.

   ‘Guards’ Uther shouted.

   ‘Father – ple…’

   ‘You have sealed your servant’s fate.’ Uther kicked the door open with his foot and flung his son into the corridor. Arthur threw one more glance at Merlin before the great door swung back into its frame with a loud thud and the key grated round in the lock.

   Silence.

   Two days passed, two long days which Merlin spent either sat in the window or arguing with Gaius, the nights he spent listening for any sound which may indicate Arthur was returning. Nothing. His intentions were to give it one more night, then escape and find his Prince.

   In the dead of the third night Merlin heard his name hissing through the window. Arthur. He looked down.

   ‘I owe you a punishment…’ the Prince grinned at him as he swung Gwaine’s hook and rope and propelled it up the tower.

   They stood in silence face to face in the dark for a few moments. Merlin lit the candle ‘Arthur, what happened?’

   ‘I was confined to my room for two days…’

   ‘I’m sorry.’

   ‘Don’t be, I’m the Prince Regent remember, there’s not a lot my Father can do…’ Arthur brushed his fingers along Merlin’s cheek. ‘…It turns out Gaius has managed to talk the King around, he said if you are released into his custody, he promises to cure you of your wilful ways and find a suitable punishment for you...’

   Arthur leaned in close and murmured ‘…but I think that’s my job… don’t you?’

   Merlin groaned, his mind conjuring up all sorts of scenarios.

   Arthur kissed him, his mouth all-encompassing and hungry, the air fizzed as Merlin pushed his tongue into Arthur’s mouth. It was now Arthur’s turn to groan.

   ‘So… what are you going to do to me?’ the words vibrated on Arthur’s lips.

   ‘I’m going to strip you naked and plunder you…’ Arthur’s voice couldn’t contain its excitement as he reached for the hem of Merlin’s tunic and lifted it off ‘…but first I’m going to make you beg for it…’ he was wickedness personified.

   ‘Yes. Oh yes’ Merlin was practically begging him now as the cool air made his skin all goosy and his nipples harden. He was seriously aroused as Arthur ran his fingers up along the gentle undulations of his ribs and settled on his nipples, his thumb pad flicking across them gently. Merlin hissed.

   Then they were kissing again, wantonly with desperation. Pushing and exploring. Merlin wanted Arthur badly; he hadn’t known how badly he’d wanted him until now, he was prepared to give him anything, anything at all.

   Arthur undid his breeches and they dropped, he took a step back and absorbed him, letting his gaze linger on his arousal. He was practically fucking him with his eyes and it made Merlin feel deliciously exposed and wound up so tight he didn’t think he could hang on.

   Then Arthur did something unexpected and it was the most sensual thing Merlin had ever seen. In the flicking half-light the Prince of Camelot stripped for him, actually stripped for him. Without taking his eyes off Merlin’s face he lifted his silk shirt over his head and discarded it. He stood for a moment as Merlin soaked up all the detail of his taught muscular torso, the curves of his stomach and his defined chest.

   Merlin mewled softly as he took a step forward.

   ‘No, stay there’ Arthur’s low voice said it all.

   Arthur slowly undid the laces on his breeches and paused for effect before dropping them. Merlin took an involuntary intake of breath. Arthur was stood in front of him in all his glory; he was beautiful beyond doubt with strong wide thighs that Merlin was desperate to have surrounding him.

   Two steps was all it took and Arthur was on him, pressing him back against the cot, his hands searching and discovering and his mouth pushing kisses under his jawline over and over again. They were pushed tight together, Merlin could feel Arthur’s excitement against his own and a guttural moan escaped from somewhere deep down inside him.

  A bit of extra pressure from Arthur was all it took to move Merlin from a standing position to sprawled, long limbs splayed, on the cot. Arthur was on top of him, moving, moving in gentle rocking motions, causing friction between them; it was too good, too _too_ good. Merlin was lost, he was lost to Arthur.

   ‘Arthur, I can’t hold on…’ Merlin simpered.

   ‘Hold on Merlin, hold on, I want you begging for me, begging me to fuck you…’

   It suddenly got really hot in the room as Arthur, breathless from his own struggle, moved down Merlin’s body showering the pale skin with kisses.

   Merlin arched into him, screwed his eyes shut and fisted the sheet into a ball, he knew where he was going, he knew what was going to happen and he didn’t think he could hold on, he wanted him, he wanted to feel him, he wanted to be full of him… and he was prepared to beg for it. He opened his mouth to plead for release when he felt Arthur take him into his delicious hot wet mouth. He worked him up and down in slow deliberate movements using his tongue and teeth with the skill of a master. Merlin briefly wondered who, before him, had had the pleasure of Arthur’s skills.

   Arthur started to utter words, nonsense words, mainly O’s and E’s but these utterances vibrated along Merlin in wonderful waves. Merlin cried out and bucked under him, now he was going to beg and he didn’t care, he wanted release, he needed release.

   ‘Arthur, please…’ Merlin beseeched his Prince as his fingers dug into his arms.

   ‘Please what?’ Arthur eyes glinted in the candlelight as he looked up at Merlin.

   ‘Please fuck me, I want you…’

   ‘Again…’

   ‘Please, _please_ Arthur… take me.’ Merlin was broken and Arthur knew it.

   ‘Again’ his wicked word was bare whisper.

   ‘Please… _My Lord_.’ Merlin implored.

   That did it, Arthur lifted Merlin off the cot and, picking up Gaius’ lotion on the way, guided him over to the window ledge, after pressing his lips to Merlin’s briefly he spun him around and pushed him gently, forcing him to place his hands on the sill.

   Merlin senses were on fire, everything was lit up, he could taste the smoke in the air from the burning candle, he could hear Arthur’s heavy breaths and the pop of the lotion lid, he could smell the lavender in the cream, he could see for miles across Camelot’s moonlit lands, and he could feel, boy could he feel…

   Arthur kicked his legs apart and ran two slicked hands across his buttocks. Merlin whined with desperation.

   ‘Now Arthur, NOW.’

   ‘Shush’ Arthur soothed as one wet slippery finger slid down and after applying just the right amount of pressure slid into Merlin, quickly followed by two then three. Merlin howled and arched into Arthur’s probing fingers. Arthur reached round and placed an open palm on Merlin’s lower stomach and pressed as he mercilessly pumped Merlin.

   He withdrew and then Merlin was full of Arthur, plundered and taken. _Good God_ it felt so good. Merlin had become putty as Arthur moved his hand lower and grasped Merlin firmly, within a few beats he’d built a hard and fast rhythm.

   ‘Now?’ Arthur simmered in his ear.

   ‘Now.’ Merlin cried.

   It didn’t take long before Merlin was sobbing Arthur’s name as he came, waves of pleasure pulsing over him, Arthur came a few seconds later emitting loud grunts. Spent and emotionally torn they both collapsed on the cold slab floor ragging for breath.

   The early dawn sent thin shafts of light into the chamber as the men climbed up onto the creaky cot and under the blanket.

   ‘I have to go soon’ Arthur lamented.

   ‘I want us to be like this forever, no duties, no chores, no saving the Kingdom, no Prince and no servant.’ Merlin mumbled into Arthur's encompassing arm.

   Arthur laughed ‘Maybe one day…’ he rose off the bed to dress.

   ‘I’ll see you in my chambers bright and early, my clothes need washing, my armour needs cleaning and my horses need grooming.’ He winked at Merlin as he planted a last kiss on his soft full lips.

 


End file.
